The fantastic literary genre is possibly the one that welcomes the most ardent followers. The paradox of the matter is that while these readers act as cult fans, sometimes considered as a minority (or at least thus treated by publishers, focused to a greater extent towards crime novels and other leading genres), eventually end up landing on the big screen as blockbusters.
Readers of the fantastic appreciate (we appreciate, since I also make my forays into the genre) the imagination exposed in the writing, while the general public turns to the easiest, the visual effects and the overwhelming staging.
The question is that Patrick Rothfuss is one of those cultivators of the imagination that is gaining more adherents today, a kind of Tolkien from the actuality. And, honestly, writers like him are necessary to project the imagination towards new worlds, idealized reflections of our society, exponents where to guide the balance between good and evil, a blurred balance in our present day between dogmas, post-truth, newspeak and any other. alienating intention.
Patrick, as Tolkien did, or even as JK Rowling did, focuses his work, so far in the profuse detail of an alternative world, immersed in that fantasy that generates new worlds that end up delighting readers brimming with imagination. The song of the flame and the thunder (The flame of the flame and the thunder) frames his entire narrative proposal in various volumes that project us to new worlds.
3 Recommended Novels By Patrick Rothfuss
The name of the wind
In cases like Patrick Rothfuss and his literary legacy, it is always essential to start from the starting point, a continuity in the publications or more capricious leaps will always have the sustenance from the starting point towards that new world I propose.
Kvothe, the absolute protagonist of this installment, takes advantage of his discovery as the mythological being that he is to present us with a fascinating world of magic, hardly sustained in the ancestral conflict between good and evil, with a whole host of characters that draw an exalted stage.
Synopsis: Kvothe is a legendary character, the hero and the villain of thousands of stories that run among people. Everyone gives him up for dead, when in reality he lives under a false name in a secluded and humble inn, which he owns. Nobody knows who he is now. Until one night a traveler, called the Chronicler, recognizes him and begs him to reveal his story, the true one, to which Kvothe finally agrees.
But there will be much to tell, it will take three days. This is the first… Kvothe (which could be pronounced ´Kuouz´) is the son of the director of a traveling company of artists - actors, musicians, magicians, minstrels and acrobats - whose arrival in towns and cities is always a reason for joy.
In this environment, Kvothe, a very cheerful and helpful child prodigy, learns different arts. For him, magic does not exist; knows they are tricks. Until one day he bumps into Abenthy, an old wizard who has mastered the arcana of knowledge, and sees him call the wind. From that moment on, Kvothe only yearns to learn the great magic of knowing the true name of things.
But that is dangerous knowledge and Abenthy, who senses a great gift in the child, teaches him cautiously while preparing him so that one day he can enter the University and become a master of magicians. One afternoon when his father has been rehearsing the theme of a new song about legendary demons, the Chandrian, Kvothe goes for a walk in the woods.
When he returns after dark, he discovers that the wagons are on fire and that all of them, including his parents, have been killed. Some strangers are sitting around the fire, but then they disappear. For months Kvothe wanders in fear through the forest with his lute for only company and when winter comes he heads to the big city.
The music of silence
As I said before, the chronological reading of this work is not fundamental. In this case, The Music of Silence is a snack for those hungry for more about the saga.
Smaller than other volumes, however, it is interesting to delve into characters, to learn about motivations and to open ourselves to the universe of the saga.
Synopsis: Auri is one of the most popular and mysterious characters to appear in The Name of the Wind and The Fear of a Wise Man. Until now we knew her through Kvothe.
The music of silence will allow us to see the world through Auri and will give us the opportunity to learn what until now only she knew ... A lyrical, evocative, suggestive and rich in detail story, starring one of the most beloved characters of the acclaimed novels by Patrick Rothfuss.
A short novel that sheds some more light on the history of Kvothe and the universe of the Chronicle of the Killer of Kings. The Music of Silence is yet another example of Rothfuss's brilliant talent as a storyteller.
The University, the bastion of knowledge, attracts the brightest minds, who flock to learn the mysteries of sciences such as artifice and alchemy. However, under these buildings and their crowded classrooms there is a world in darkness, whose existence only a few know.
In this maze of ancient tunnels, abandoned rooms and halls, winding staircases and half-ruined corridors lives Auri. Some time ago she was a student at the University. Now she takes care of the Subreality, for her a cozy, wonderful place, where she could spend eternity looking.
He has learned that there are other mysteries that should not be removed; it is better to leave them alone and safe. She is no longer fooled by the logic in which they trust so much above: she knows how to recognize the subtle dangers and the forgotten names that are hidden under the surfaces of things.
The fear of a wise man
A direct continuation of The Name of the Wind, this novel delves into the history of Kvothe, on his return as the greatest magician in history. His fight is anthological, becoming a hero of the fantasy genre towards universal literature.
Synopsis: The sequel to the extraordinary The Name of the Wind, The Fear of a Wise Man is the second installment in Patrick Rothfuss' superb trilogy.
Taking up again the story of Kvothe the Killer of Kings, we follow him in exile, in political intrigues, adventure, love and magic ... and beyond, on the path that made Kvothe, the greatest magician of his time, a legend In his own time, in Kote, an unassuming innkeeper.
Packed with the same magic and adventure as The Name of the Wind, this sequel is as good as its predecessor, and a must-read for all fantasy fans.
Other recommended books by Patrick Rothfuss
The narrow path between desires
Patrick Rothfuss returns to the world of the Kingslayer Chronicle with a novel starring Bast, one of readers' most beloved characters.
If there is one thing Bast knows how to do, it is negotiate. Watching him make a deal is watching an artist at work... but even a master's brush can err. However, when he receives a gift and accepts it without offering anything in return, his world is shaken. Well, although he knows how to haggle, he doesn't know how to owe anything to anyone.
From dawn to midnight, over the course of a day, we will follow the most charming fae in the Kingslayer Chronicle as he dances with danger again and again with astonishing grace.
The narrow path between desires is the story of Bast. In it, our protagonist follows his own heart, even if it is against his better judgment. Because, after all, what good is caution if it keeps you away from adventure and pleasure?
